Take-Back and Recycling

We sell electrical and electronic equipment as well as batteries. On this page we explain how to dispose of waste equipment and waste batteries correctly and free of charge, and what to bear in mind.

The general information below applies to all our customers. Collection points and national rules are described in the country sections for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Czech Republic.

In the European Union, batteries are governed by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning batteries and waste batteries, supplemented by the national provisions of the Member States.

Waste batteries must not be disposed of with household waste. As an end-user, you are required to discard them separately from unsorted municipal waste and take them to a collection point. This is the only way they can be treated safely and the raw materials they contain recovered.

Batteries that can be removed from a device without being destroyed should be taken out before you dispose of the device and handed in separately. Batteries that are permanently built in are disposed of together with the device (see the section “Waste electrical and electronic equipment”).

You can hand in waste batteries free of charge at public collection points and in shops that sell batteries. Collection points in your country are described in the country sections below.

Lithium batteries and lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if they are damaged, short-circuited or overheated. When disposed of incorrectly, they regularly cause fires in refuse collection vehicles and sorting plants. Please note:

• Before handing them in, cover the terminals of lithium batteries with adhesive tape or pack the batteries individually to prevent short circuits.
• Do not open, dismantle, puncture or crush batteries, and do not throw them into a fire.
• Until you hand them in, store waste batteries in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children.
• Stop using damaged, swollen or unusually warm batteries. Do not put them into the collection boxes in shops; take them directly to a public collection point and point out the damage.

The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol on batteries or their packaging means that at the end of its life the battery must not be disposed of with household waste but must be collected separately.

If a chemical symbol appears below the bin, the battery contains more than the permitted amount of the heavy metal concerned: Hg for mercury (more than 0.0005%), Cd for cadmium (more than 0.002%) or Pb for lead (more than 0.004%).

Other information on the battery or its packaging, such as the chemical composition, the capacity or the note “non-rechargeable”, helps you to use and dispose of it correctly.

Batteries may contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances, such as electrolytes. If they enter the environment via household waste or through littering, these substances can pollute soil and water and harm health. Separate collection prevents this and allows valuable raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel or lead to be recovered.

• Where it makes sense, use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use batteries.
• Charge and store rechargeable batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid heat and complete discharge – this extends their service life.
• Remove batteries from devices you will not be using for a long time.
• Pass on batteries and devices that still work instead of throwing them away.

In the European Union, electrical and electronic equipment is governed by Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), transposed into the national law of the Member States.

Electrical and electronic equipment that has become waste is referred to as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). You must dispose of it separately from unsorted municipal waste. It therefore does not belong in household waste but must be taken to a collection point.

Before handing in a device, remove any batteries that are not permanently built in, as well as lamps that can be removed without being destroyed, and dispose of them separately. This is particularly important for lithium batteries: if they are damaged inside the device, they can catch fire. Safety instructions can be found in the section “Waste batteries”.

Waste equipment often contains personal data, for example computers, smartphones, cameras or control units with memory. You are responsible for deleting this data before handing in the equipment.

You can hand in waste equipment free of charge at public collection points and at take-back points operated by retailers. Collection points in your country are described in the country sections below.

The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol on electrical and electronic equipment means that at the end of its life the device must not be disposed of with household waste but must be collected separately.

Under Directive 2008/98/EC on waste and its transposition in the Member States of the European Union, waste prevention takes priority over disposal. For electrical and electronic equipment, this means above all: have defective devices repaired where possible, and sell or give away working devices you no longer need instead of throwing them away.

In the United Kingdom, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 and the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 apply.

You can take waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge to your local household waste recycling centre. In addition:

• waste batteries are also taken back by shops that sell batteries;
• waste equipment is also taken back by shops when you buy an equivalent new device.

Your local council can tell you where your nearest collection point is.

In Ireland, national regulations implementing the WEEE Directive apply to electrical and electronic equipment. For batteries, national implementing provisions apply in addition to Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.

You can hand in waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge at civic amenity sites (recycling centres). In addition:

• waste batteries are also taken back by shops that sell batteries;
• waste equipment is also taken back by shops when you buy an equivalent new device.

Your local authority can tell you where your nearest collection point is.

In Denmark, national rules implementing the WEEE Directive apply to electrical and electronic equipment. For batteries, national implementing provisions apply in addition to Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.

You can hand in waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge at your municipality’s recycling centre (genbrugsplads). In addition:

• waste batteries are also taken back by shops that sell batteries;
• waste equipment is also taken back by shops when you buy an equivalent new device.

Your municipality can tell you where your nearest collection point is.

In Finland, the Waste Act (646/2011) and the provisions issued under it apply. For batteries, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 also applies.

You can hand in waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge at producers’ collection points and municipal waste stations. In addition:

• waste batteries are also taken back by shops that sell batteries;
• waste equipment is also taken back by shops when you buy an equivalent new device.

Your municipality can tell you where your nearest collection point is.

In Norway, the Waste Regulations (avfallsforskriften) apply to waste electrical and electronic equipment and waste batteries.

Shops that sell electrical and electronic equipment or batteries take back such waste of the type they sell free of charge. You can also hand in waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge at municipal recycling stations. Your municipality can tell you where your nearest collection point is.

In the Czech Republic, Act No. 542/2020 Coll. on end-of-life products applies. For batteries, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 also applies.

You can hand in waste equipment and waste batteries free of charge at municipal collection yards (sběrné dvory) and other public collection points. In addition:

• waste batteries are also taken back by shops that sell batteries;
• waste equipment is also taken back by shops when you buy an equivalent new device.

Your municipality can tell you where your nearest collection point is.